Chapter 263: A Fierce Battle!
The three different energies intertwined and flowed together, forming a powerful and unstable force that caused the surrounding air to distort continuously, and for the first time, Li Yun was pushing all three cultivation arts simultaneously to their limits.
However, he did not stop there.
Li Yun raised his hand and took out a handful of Qi Gathering Pills before swallowing them one after another without hesitation, and as the pills dissolved within his body, their energy surged outward rapidly.
Under normal circumstances, Li Yun would never use such pills to increase his cultivation, because compared to natural treasures, their effect was crude and inefficient, yet in this situation, he had no other choice.
If he wanted to defeat the demonic soul occupying Mu Lan’s body, he had to grow stronger immediately.
The chaotic qi within his body devoured the energy from the pills at an astonishing speed, and the moment that energy was absorbed, his cultivation surged.
A powerful fluctuation spread from his body.
His realm broke through and a wave of qi released from his body in all directions.
He advanced to the second level of the Qi Sea Realm.
Although the amount of pills he had consumed was enough for an ordinary martial artist to rise several levels, for Li Yun, it only allowed a single breakthrough, yet even that small increase caused a significant change in his overall strength.
"Nice," Li Yun muttered softly as he felt the surge of power within him, and his eyes lifted once more toward Mu Lan.
Mu Lan’s expression changed slightly as she sensed the shift.
Everything had happened too quickly.
She had only allowed him a brief moment to breathe, yet within that short time, he had forcefully broken through to the next level, and that unexpected development caused a rare flicker of shock to pass through her eyes.
However, that shock quickly turned into cold killing intent.
"You are still not enough!" Mu Lan shouted, her voice filled with chilling killing intent as the demonic energy around her surged violently. "Demonic Abyss Palm!"
The sky above trembled as a massive demonic palm condensed out of thick, dark red energy, its surface swirling with sinister patterns as it descended like a collapsing mountain, carrying a pressure so heavy that the air below it compressed and cracked.
"Crimson Lotus Flame Art!" Li Yun roared as a blazing red lotus bloomed around him in an instant, its petals unfolding layer by layer as thirty percent Flame Intent surged through it, causing each petal to burn with an intense and concentrated heat that radiated outward.
The demonic palm crashed down.
Boom!
The impact shook the entire battlefield as flames and demonic energy collided violently, sending shockwaves rippling in all directions, while the lotus trembled under the immense pressure as cracks began to spread across its surface, yet it held firm, dispersing most of the incoming force as the ground beneath Li Yun shattered and sank deeply.
Before the chaotic energy could settle, Mu Lan’s figure blurred.
"Nether Reaping Slash!"
Her scythe descended from above like a streak of dark lightning, cutting through the remnants of the explosion as the blade carried a sharp, tearing force that split the air apart.
Li Yun reacted instantly. Remaining inside the lotus protection, he used his sword art.
"Thunderflame Gale Sword Art, Gale Ignition!"
His sword rose sharply as wind howled, flames surged, lightning crackled, and Sword Intent condensed together into a single strike, and when his blade met the descending scythe, a violent shockwave erupted as sparks and energy exploded outward, forcing both of them apart while the surrounding air shattered into visible ripples.
Mu Lan landed lightly, her movements fluid and without pause.
"Demonic Tide Sweep!"
A vast torrent of demonic energy surged sideways like a raging ocean wave, sweeping across the battlefield with the intent to crush Li Yun completely.
Li Yun’s lightning wings flared violently.
"Raging Tiger Wind Art!"
His figure blurred into a streak of lightning as he moved instantly, narrowly dodging the core of the attack while the Crimson Lotus behind him absorbed the remaining force, its surface trembling violently as flames and lightning intertwined to stabilize it.
The ground behind him was ripped apart completely as the demonic wave passed, leaving deep gouges and shattered debris in its wake.
Mu Lan raised her hand once more, her eyes growing colder.
"Demonic Bone Spears!"
Dozens of spears formed rapidly in the air, each one condensed from dense demonic energy, and they shot forward with terrifying speed, tearing through the air with piercing shrieks.
"Energy Spirit Swords!"
Li Yun’s voice rang out as multiple swords formed instantly around him, each forged from wind, flame, lightning, and Sword Intent, and they shot forward like streaks of light to intercept the incoming spears.
The collisions erupted one after another as explosions filled the sky, several spears shattering mid-flight under the force of the flying swords, yet a few broke through and struck the Crimson Lotus, causing visible cracks to spread across its surface before lightning surged over it and reinforced the barrier once again.
Mu Lan stepped forward, her aura rising sharply as her presence became even more oppressive.
"Nether Execution Descent!"
Her scythe descended once more, this time carrying a deeper and heavier demonic force as it tore through the air with a deep, whistling sound that seemed to split the battlefield itself.
Li Yun did not retreat.
"Thunderflame Gale Sword Art, Thunderflame Severing!"
His blade flashed forward as the two attacks collided head on.
Boom!
The impact exploded violently as a massive shockwave spread outward, and although Mu Lan remained firmly in place, Li Yun was forced backward several steps, his feet crushing the already broken ground beneath him as cracks spread further with each step he took to stabilize himself.
Mu Lan did not allow him any time to recover.
"Demonic Blood Domain!"
A dark red field spread outward instantly, covering the battlefield as it pressed down like an invisible mountain, attempting to suppress Li Yun’s movements and weaken his power.